{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,27]],"date-time":"2026-06-27T16:30:19Z","timestamp":1782577819758,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,12]],"date-time":"2021-01-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1610409600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"JICA-JST SATREPS Project","award":["---"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["---"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Molecules"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The use of natural products for the regulation of skin pigmentation is gaining popularity. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of argan leaves extract (ALE) on melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells, determined its antioxidant activity, then quantified and identified its phenolic components. B16 cells were treated with various concentrations of ALE, then the cell viability and proliferation were assessed using MTT assay while the melanin content was determined using spectrophotometric methods. The expression level of tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase related protein-1 (TRP-1) and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) was evaluated by Western blotting. The antioxidant activity of ALE was investigated using four different assays while UPLC-ESI-HRMS analysis was used to characterize the ALE phenolic profile. Fourteen phenolic compounds were identified, of which six are reported for the first time to be present in ALE. ALE treatment increases the melanin content of B16 cells in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. This was revealed by the observed ALE-increased expression level of TYR, DCT, and TRP-1. These bioactivities may be mainly attributed to its high flavonoids content. Argan leaves have the potential for use as a treatment for hypopigmentation disorders and as a bioactive component of cosmetic products that aim to increase pigmentation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/molecules26020371","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,12]],"date-time":"2021-01-12T20:11:31Z","timestamp":1610482291000},"page":"371","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Melanogenesis Promoting Effect, Antioxidant Activity, and UPLC-ESI-HRMS Characterization of Phenolic Compounds of Argan Leaves Extract"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Thouria","family":"Bourhim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Avenue Prince Moulay Abdellah, BP 2390, 40000 Marrakesh, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Myra O.","family":"Villareal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba City 305-8572, Japan"},{"name":"Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba City 305-8572, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fran\u00e7ois","family":"Couderc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UMR CNRS 5623 (National Center for Scientific Research), Paul Sabatier University, 118 Route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse, France"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Abdellatif","family":"Hafidi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Avenue Prince Moulay Abdellah, BP 2390, 40000 Marrakesh, Morocco"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hiroko","family":"Isoda","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba City 305-8572, Japan"},{"name":"Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba City 305-8572, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4524-5362","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chemseddoha","family":"Gadhi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Avenue Prince Moulay Abdellah, BP 2390, 40000 Marrakesh, Morocco"},{"name":"Alliance for Research on the Mediterranean and North Africa (ARENA), University of Tsukuba, Tennodai 1-1-1, Tsukuba City 305-8572, Japan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"843","DOI":"10.1038\/nature05660","article-title":"Melanocyte biology and skin pigmentation","volume":"445","author":"Lin","year":"2007","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhevol.2013.06.004","article-title":"Epidermal pigmentation in the human lineage is an adaptation to ultraviolet radiation","volume":"65","author":"Jablonski","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. 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